1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to an apparatus for stabilizing a bike and, more specifically, to an apparatus to a bike trainer to be coupled to a bike, the bike trainer including fore and aft rollers on which a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively, of the bike roll to allow limited lateral movement of the bike during use.
2. Description of Related Art
Bike trainers commonly include a frame supporting at least one rear roller on which the rear wheel of a bike can roll while the bike itself remains stationary. The front forks of the bike can be secured to the frame to prevent the bike from moving, in both the fore and aft directions as well as laterally, while being ridden on the trainer. However, such trainers do not provide riders with a realistic feel since the bike is firmly fixed at a stationary location by the connection between the frame and the bike.
Attempts to provide riders with an experience that more accurately represents actually riding a bike have included the provision of a forward roller on the frame, allowing the forward roller to rotate with the rear roller. With both the front and rear wheels of the bike spinning, the bike could move laterally, along the axial direction of the roller, requiring the rider to balance the bike instead of simply sitting on a stationary bike that is secured in place. Although trainers with spinning front and rear wheels enhance the exercise experience, inexperienced riders can be reluctant to use them out of fear they will inadvertently allow the bike to travel laterally off of the front and/or rear roller(s). And trainers with built-in lateral guides may quickly be outgrown by riders, requiring them to then purchase a more-advanced trainer at a substantial cost.